Systems in Music Therapy: Monthly Theme Boxes

As Friday rolls around again, I find that I have done little to no organizing with my current system project - my visual aid files. I have, however, dived straight into one of my other systems - my monthly boxes. 

Each month has a 13 in. by 13 in. by 3 in. scrapbook storage box where I stash things that are related to specific things that happen in the month. They are labeled with the month name and include copies of my sing about mini editions, visual aids that go along with specific therapeutic music experiences (TMEs), and anything that has something to do with the month or the theme or the holidays that are in each month.

This is a system that I have had for many years and that I use at times to help me spur my creativity and get myself going again in the TME development process. On Wednesday, I took down the March box from the cabinet next to my desk at work and opened it up. Inside, there are St. Patrick's Day books and visuals and activities. There are some Easter things since Easter (sometimes, but not this year) arrives in March. There are a slew of small bunny erasers that I picked up somewhere but have very few TMEs for at this point. I have a book of Mad-Libs, some window cling thingies (that I will NEVER use because I hate the way they feel), and some random Irish words. We are doing some cultural awareness things at work right now, and Ireland is the next month for our awareness focus. My box has stuff that I can incorporate into music therapy right now!

As I am working on my latest system, that of my visual aids, I am finding things that could be used in specific months or stored in my monthly boxes, but that can also be used in other places or other monthly themes. So, I am creating some cross-references to help me remember what I have and what can be used when. It is part of my new/old system. I will be adding my March box contents to my visual aid spreadsheet so I have them in the other system. I will also make sure that I keep working on both systems so that they continue to evolve and become things that are helpful to me and to other music therapists.

I have some laminating to do this weekend. I have made some leprechaun puzzles and some rhythm words for a lucky leprechaun chant that I have in my Teachers Pay Teachers store to print on cardstock and then laminate to use next month in my groups. I am printing out my sing about march editions - three years' worth - to put into my box. I have so many ideas and things to put together that my creation process never really stops or ends. 

This is a good system to remind me that I am always creative. That I have a good foundation of ideas, concepts, experiences, and creative impulses as part of my way of doing things as a music therapist. When I get into down times or times when my creativity is ebbing, I can open up the box marked "March" and find lots of ideas that I have collected. Looking at the "Leprechaun Name Selector" sheet that I got from Music Therapy Mailings a long time ago, I have some more ideas pop into my head about how I can use things with my current clients. I see that name selector next to my lucky leprechaun rhythm cards, and I can see ways I can combine the two ideas together. These were possibilities that I have not seen before - it wasn't time to see those possibilities before. I also now have an idea to combine the suggestions on the name selector with the concept of the rhythm cards - I can make an entirely different Teachers Pay Teachers resource using the combination of these two ideas. Now I have three different TMEs where before I had one. I am sure that I am going to keep going with the ideas. I am using my idea book to collect ideas as they flit through my head.

Systems work best when they work together for a common goal - for me, at this moment, that goal is being aware of possibilities. 

I am going to my work place to do a day full of individual sessions and three group sessions. Fridays will now be my busiest day of the week because I only have 30 minutes of non-session time during the day. I prefer a schedule like this, but it has been almost impossible during the past several years for many different reasons. I am hoping to get most of my days looking like Fridays look, but it is difficult to schedule already busy students into yet more things.

It is time to go. I have to get gasoline and then head to work. It is time for the last day of the workweek. Happy Friday!! 

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